Wednesday continued.
Kendra remained silent until they entered, then she plopped down on the couch and stared at the coffee table. “Maybe I can get Lacey to take mom to Last Chance for a few days.”
Wade moved into the kitchen and turned on the coffeemaker manually since it wasn’t due to start for another couple of hours. Then opening the refrigerator, he twisted open a beer and brought it to Kendra. “Here, it will help you think.”
She glanced up at him. “I’d rather it help me forget.”
He shook his head and sat next to her, putting his arm around her shoulders. “The problem would still be there. Now let’s take this one step at a time. First, the manager’s reception tomorrow.”
She groaned even as she lifted the beer bottle to her lips.
He forced himself to look away from her mouth, lowering his gaze which gave him a perfect view of her bountiful cleavage. She continued to dress to cover her large chest and her scarred left leg though she stripped for the Manager’s Reception on Wednesdays.
At that realization, he leaned back. She still wasn’t comfortable with who she was. He took a minute to digest that. Kendra was one of the most confident women he’d ever met. She’d made it through her first marriage despite the man’s callous attitude, become a very successful professional poker player, and created a haven for nudists who wanted a top-notch resort for vacations despite all the hurdles thrown in her way.
Yet for all that, she was still insecure about two things, her body and her upbringing in a trailer park. He’d been trying to help with the first insecurity, but had missed the second. As husband material, that was a significant strike against him.
“So, do you have any solutions?”
Her voice had him returning his attention to the problem at hand. “I do. One of us can go and one of us can distract your mother. Maybe take her into town for dinner.”
She nodded. “That’ll work. I’ll let Buddy and Ginger know mom is here so they don’t make a big deal over one of us not being at the reception.” She rose and walked toward the kitchen, the smell of coffee starting to drift in. “I have no idea how mom is going to react to seeing Buddy and Ginger here.” She opened a cupboard and pulled out a coffee mug.
He stifled the urge to smile. His soon-to-be wife was usually sound asleep when he woke up in the morning, so the fact she thought to pour him his coffee had his heart warming. “You didn’t tell her when you spoke to her on the phone?”
She leaned against the island that separated the kitchen from the living room, her weight thrown over to her right hip, a clear indication she was agitated. “No. I had planned to tell her on the drive from the airport to here. I thought it would give me enough time to answer any objections.”
“Objections?”
“Yes. Mom was one of those who was happy to get rid of the ‘nudie people’ when that all went down at the trailer park. But when she found out I had opened a nudist resort, she only asked if it was making money and if I had a section for trailers. That made me think that maybe mom was glad to see Ginger and Buddy thrown out because she resented me spending time with them when I was young. Either way, I have no idea how she feels now.”
The coffee maker beeped and Kendra turned away.
He enjoyed the sight of her in the kitchen as she lifted the pot. He’d never thought that he’d be living on a nudist resort with a woman who didn’t rise at the crack of dawn with him. He owed a lot to his friend Dale for asking him to work at Poker Flat for three months. If it hadn’t been for him, he would have missed out on an amazing woman and a unique community that took him in with open arms.
She brought him the coffee and handed it to him.
“Thank you. You could tell your mother at dinner and I can host the reception.” It wasn’t as if he had to do anything besides welcome everyone and talk. Lacey and Selma had the weekly event going off like clockwork.
“That could work.” She returned to stand by the counter, her former outburst forgotten as she buried it under her poker façade.
That used to bother him, but he understood her now. It was a defense mechanism. He didn’t mind because he had many ways of getting her out of her closed place. Taking a sip of coffee, he barely kept from closing his eyes in satisfaction. He was an early riser, but not this early. “And today, I’ll have Jorge take your mom for a trail ride.”
As he expected, Kendra’s eyes widened. “A trail ride? My mother? I’m not sure she’s even seen a real live horse before, never mind ridden one.”
He shrugged. “If Jorge can’t convince her to try horseback riding, I’m sure he could get her on the wagon at least to a spot where they could walk to. Maybe Selma could pack them a picnic lunch.”
“I’m not sure.”
“Why?” He took another sip of coffee. He saw nothing wrong with his plan.
Kendra pulled away from the counter to walk across the living room then sat beside him. “I think Selma likes Jorge.”
“What?” He hadn’t seen that coming. Sure, Jorge flirted with the older woman, but he flirted with every woman. The man made very good tips.
“It’s just a hunch, but she complains so much about him, I think she likes him.”
That made absolutely no sense, so he let it go. “Tell you what. I’ll ask him anyway. If Selma does like him, we’ll know right away.”
“I’ll say.” Her lip finally quirked up into a small smile. “You’ll have to tell me exactly how she reacts. If I was betting, I’d lay money down that she likes the man.”
He wiggled his eyebrows. “Did you want to make a bet on it?”
Her blue eyes sparkled with mischief. “That depends on what the stakes are. It’s not like I haven’t seen you naked already, so that’s no incentive.”
Her reminder of the first time they played poker —strip poker—made him pause. He took another sip of coffee, the caffeine helping him to think. She was very good at reading people. She’d done it for a living. If she was right, and as surprising as it might be that the two fifty-somethings might be interested in each other, he needed to make the win worth it for Kendra.
She raised her eyebrows at him. “Well?”
“What would you want?”
Her smiled turned devious, which immediately heated his blood. “If I’m right, I choose where we go for our honeymoon.”
He froze, his coffee cup halfway to the end table. “I thought you said we couldn’t take a honeymoon because it’s the busy season.” He’d been irritated that she’d put the business before them, but had sucked it up. Just getting her to commit to a wedding date had been a major win for him. He’d never expected to be the one itching to get married.
“Oh, I don’t mean right now. But I thought about what you said last year and you’re right. We do deserve a honeymoon. We hardly get anytime to ourselves living here on the resort. So I was thinking maybe we could go this summer. Things will be slower and the staff should be able to handle it, or we could simply close for a couple weeks and give everyone paid time off.”
He finished setting his cup down. She surprised him on a daily basis with the way her mind worked and with the size of her heart. He’d take the bet just to get her to commit to the honeymoon alone. “And if I win, I choose the spot?”
She shrugged. “Sure.”
Her utter confidence had him holding back a smile. Most likely she was right about Selma, but he knew his fiancé. If she had to work at something, it made her even more determined. “Deal.”
“Good.” She gave him a nod, but he recognized the loosening of her shoulders.
Something told him she had a place in mind that he may not like. He hoped he was wrong.
“So that covers distracting mom today and tonight. At least that gives me time to figure out what to do with her for the following four days.” Even as she said it, Kendra leaned her head back against the couch and closed her eyes.
It was now just past four in the morning, a time neither of them was usually awake. Moving off the couch, he knelt on the throw rug and lifted her foot. Taking off first one cowboy boot and then the other, he smiled sadly at the memory of the first time he’d seen her scarred leg. It had taken months, but she didn’t flinch anymore when he touched her there.
“Wade, you don’t have to do that.”
He looked up at her, but she hadn’t opened her eyes. “I know.” He set the boots aside before taking off her socks. He gently massaged her feet, wishing he could take her worry about her mother completely off her shoulders.
“Hmm, that feels so good.”
At her words, an idea struck. It might only take her mind off her mom for a short period of time, but it would definitely relax her. Her problem was she took responsibility for everything, rarely admitting that anything was beyond her control. He knew one sure way to topple that in her psyche.
He ran his hand up her legs to the top of her jeans and unbuttoned them.
As his fingers found the zipper, her hand covered his. “What are you doing?”
He glanced up to see her eyes were still closed, her head still back against the couch.
“I’m undressing you. You’ve had a long day.”
“Uh-hmm.”
At her agreement, he swept aside her hand and unzipped her jeans. Hooking his fingers inside the waistband of both her pants and her panties, he worked them down. “Lift.”
Her hips rose until he worked the material past her ass, then she dropped them back onto the couch cushion. That she hadn’t argued with him was telling. She wasn’t just tired physically, but mentally.
Pulling her jeans off, he pushed back the throw rug as he moved the coffee table out of the way. To avoid cluing her in, he knelt before her again, ignoring the erection growing in his jeans to unbutton her tan western shirt and flick open the front clasp of her bra.
Her large breasts pushed the cups aside as if they’d been anxious to come out. She sighed, but didn’t move.
Quietly, he unbuttoned his own jeans and slid the zipper down, giving him some breathing room. With that accomplished, he began to work her shirt over her shoulders. Pulling her willing body toward him, he pushed the shirt down her arms until both sleeves were half off.
Slowly, he brought the ends of the sleeves together behind her back and tied them.
Her breath caught. “Wade.” Though her tone was a warning, the hoarseness of her voice revealed her true feelings.
He didn’t respond. Instead, he looped the sleeve ends one more time to knot them. When he leaned her back against the couch her arms behind her, he found her eyes open and darkened with desire. Yet still, she shook her head. “We can’t. You have to—”
He pressed two fingers against her lips. “I have to take my woman.”
Her chest rose as she took a deep breath.
He’d used the word take on purpose. They made love in many ways, sometimes quick, sometimes gentle, sometimes slowly, but he’d discovered only by taking total control of her could he help her when she felt overwhelmed. “No more words.”
Her eyelids grew heavy as he spoke. That she responded so quickly proved how much she needed this.
Moving his two fingers over her chin and down her neck, he felt her swallow. He wanted to kiss that very spot, but he resisted and continued lower, straight down between her breasts. Her rosy nipples were already hard and begging for attention, and they would receive it in due time.
He trailed his fingers lower, over her tight abs to her belly button. Again, he resisted the urge to stop and play and continued down her smooth skin, over her abdomen and down to her mons.
Kendra opened her legs, giving him access to whatever he wished.
Slowing his hand, he felt the hard nub of her clit beneath the pads of his two fingers and stopped.
His own desire inhibited his breathing, forcing him to take in more air to keep his focus. Gently, he let his fingers rest against her, pressing on her slightly.
Her legs spread wider, but she made no sound.
She wanted him to continue his journey and find her opening, but making her wait, not get what she wanted when she wanted it, was all part of freeing her from her burdens. He couldn’t let her direct his movements.
He dropped his other hand onto her knee, the surprise touch causing her to start. Good. He didn’t want her to guess his intention. He removed his hand and set it on her waist. Again, her breathing hitched.
Smiling, he lifted his hand and rested it on her shoulder. This time she relaxed. So he lifted it again and cupped her left breast. Beneath his hand, he felt the speed of her heartrate increase.
She’d finally fully capitulated, given up all control, which meant their lovemaking would refresh her in more ways than one.
What she didn’t know was what that did to him. It was all he could do not to flip her on to the floor and take her. He tried to think of it as good willpower practice, but his cock could care less.
Refocusing his thoughts on the soft mass cupped in his hand, he squeezed it, gently massaging the globe, but staying away from the pebbled skin of her areola. Without giving her a clue, he leaned forward and bared his teeth.
With well-practiced precision, he nipped at the hard nipple above his palm.
She moaned, but didn’t push her breast into his face like she normally would have.
To reward her for her capitulation, he took the hard nub between his teeth again and rolled it back and forth.
Her head lolled to the side as her breathing grew short.
With no warning, he pulled the nipple into his mouth and sucked hard.
Her moan this time was louder and her hips bucked against his fingers, pressing her clit between them.
He immediately let go of her breast. “I will decide what pleasure to give you and when.”
She nodded. It wasn’t the first time they’d done this. She well understood how her orgasm would be if she let him control everything.
He grinned despite his discomfort. She wasn’t very good at waiting…usually. To reward her for her patience, he moved his fingers twice in a circle against her clit, watching her as her mouth opened with her pleasure.
Though he told her he loved her, she didn’t fully comprehend how deep his feelings went. Despite that, he had no doubt she loved him. There was no half anything with her.
Leaning toward her again, he distracted her by brushing her left nipple with his thumb. Then he licked at her right nipple before gently sucking it in to his mouth, while his tongue continued to play.
He craved the taste of her and as soon as his brain registered that she’d remain pliant beneath him. Giving in, he sucked hard, his finger pinching her other nipple.
Her groan was an aphrodisiac that was too hard to resist. He moved his fingers on her clit up and down, keeping the pressure light, while her breasts received harder attention.
Stopping to view the rosy nipples and allow the sensations to subside, he caught his own control before returning to her pleasure, his fingers against her clit, never stopping.
The scent of her readiness filled his nostrils while his mouth and fingers were busy, making his movement jerks, instead of smooth. He couldn’t allow that and immediately lightened up on her body, keeping his strokes light, despite his rock-hard cock.
Taking his hand from her breast, he pulled his cock from his jeans, ignoring the light scrape of the zipper, which helped him find some semblance of control. It wasn’t much, but it would have to do.
Opening his mouth, he released her breast and straightened to gaze at her flushed face. The soft, low sounds coming from her filled his heart with love. Sitting back on his heels, he removed his fingers from her clit and used his hands to spread her legs wider.
The hitch in Kendra’s breath was the only reaction she gave.
He couldn’t resist the scent of her desire any longer. Keeping one hand on her thigh, he lowered his head.
At the touch of Wade’s tongue on her opening, Kendra’s sheath tightened of its own accord. Luckily, Wade couldn’t know that or he might stop. It took all her will to remain relaxed and accepting. What awaited her if she did, was an intense orgasm that she could lose herself in.
He stroked upward and over her clit, as he gripped her legs to hold her in place. His tongue made another swipe, this time playing with her hard nub, eliciting sharp slices of pleasure before delving into her sheath.
He was magic with his tongue, repeating the same pattern multiple times, increasing her need until she started to pant. Then he let up, barely flicking at her clit only to blow air on it.
As he began to play again, increasing his pressure, his fingers found her right nipple and rolled it. The excitement was so strong that she had to hiss to keep from bucking her hips upward. If she did, he’d lighten his ministrations.
He must have been pleased with her reaction, because his tongue didn’t leave her clit and the movements grew stronger. When his other hand left her leg, she hoped his finger would move inside her, but it didn’t. Instead, he captured her other nipple, giving it the same pinching pressure and roll as the first.
Her sheath was filled with readiness, but the illusive orgasm remained out of reach, Wade’s continued touching neither increasing or decreasing. She moaned, almost crying out with her desire, not sure she could wait, but even as she thought to force it by touching herself, the bonds of her shirt sleeves kept her from interfering.
He must have sensed her exquisite torture because his tongue suddenly stopped and was replaced with his lips. He gently sucked her clit between his teeth.
Her orgasm swept through her like a dust storm, obliterating all thought and sweeping her up to the pinnacle of ecstasy. She whimpered as she was tossed about by the sharp highs and lows of ultimate pleasure. Just as her world began to right itself, Wade pulled her forward and laid her out on the cold tile floor. As her nipples made contact with the hard surface, they hardened again, and she shuddered with anticipation.
Her hands, still tied behind her back, her face on the floor, she was at his mercy. Wade’s low growl behind her keyed her senses that he wouldn’t wait to take her. As soon as his hands pulled her ass up, she knew it would be hard and fast. Her sheath flooded with that knowledge just before his cock thrust inside her to the hilt.
His hands came down on either side of her, and he pulled out only to push in so hard that she slid a few inches on the floor. As if that was exactly what he wanted, he did it again, her nipples coming in contact with the rough grout between the tiles. The added friction tightened her sheath.
He thrust again, moving her across the floor a few inches at a time, her hands helpless to stop it as another dip between the tiles hit. This time when he pulled back, he grabbed her tied arms with his teeth and brought her back with him.
Her clit scraped, her nipples scraped, and his next thrust threw her over the edge. Her orgasm gripped her as Wade continued to thrust, finally kneeling back and pulling her hips back with him to spend himself inside her, prolonging her pleasure as he filled her.
When they’d regained more even breathing, he untied her hands, and pulled her up, holding her tight against his naked chest, his face against her back. She smiled that he’d managed to whip off his shirt but not his pants.
She leaned forward and he released her. Pulling herself off him, she turned around and sat on the floor to face him. “Thank you.”
He looped his hand around her neck and pulled her in for a long, lingering kiss. When he was done tasting her, he leaned his forehead against her. “My pleasure.”
She chuckled. “No, really. It was all mine.